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Young Farmer of the Year 2019

The Young Farmer of the Year Award is an annual award aimed at identifying young farmers across South Africa, under the age of 35, who stand out and strive to continue farming commercially under very difficult conditions in South Africa, with the main focus being on food security and productivity. The awards, of which Manitou is one of the four main sponsors, provides Manitou Southern Africa the opportunity to identify how the young farmers of South Africa think in terms of mechanizing their farming practice in order to compete globally. In addition, this event provides Manitou SA with opportunities to actively get involved with handling solutions in the farming industry.

The site visits to the respective candidates took place during 22-26 July 2019 and the announcement of winners was made during TLU Annual Conference on the 18 September 2019.

Sponsors provided various prizes to the finalist and the winner. Manitou SA sponsored a trip to the Manitou BF factory in Ancenis, France, that coincides with the SIMA International Agribusiness Show in Paris, France.

A vegetable farmer from the Koedoesrand district at Maasstroom, in the province of Limpopo, walked away with the esteemed title. Henna du Plessis, aged 33 years, competed against seven finalists from across South Africa and was declared the winner of the Young Farmer of the Year award on 18 September.

Manitou SA offers an extensive and innovative product range of equipment that can assist farmers to work more productively, efficiently and save costs in terms of critical turn-around times needed when handling commodities on the farm i.e. fertilizer, seed, bulk handling, distribution of the final crop from the farm, etc.